NAMES IN THE NEWS

"First Time," part of the "Nickelodeon Sports Theater
With SHAQUILLE O'NEAL" series, will air Saturday at 9:00pm
ET/PT. The program is narrated by O'Neal, who is also one
of the co-producers. The First Time episode is produced by
MICHAEL TOLLIN & BRIAN ROBBINS, who produce HBO's "Arli$$"
(Nickelodeon). In L.A., Larry Stewart: "Need a lift? This
one-hour dramatic special should do it" (L.A. TIMES, 10/9).
...John Feinstein, on DEAN SMITH: "Dean Smith could have
made a lot more money than he did, but he turned down
endorsement opportunities. ... He was always outspoken on
behalf of the players, and that's gotten lost a little bit
in this rush for all these coaches to have their fancy suits
and their endorsement contracts the last few years"
("Newshour With Jim Lehrer," PBS, 10/9)....The body of DON
LEVENTHAL, who wrote the NBA Draft Report and contributed to
ESPN SportsZone, was found Thursday in Philadelphia, after
an apparent suicide (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 10/10).